Vitamin B12 is unique among the vitamins in that it contains not only an organic molecule, but also the essential trace element cobalt. Vitamin B12 is not made by either plants or animals and can be synthesized by only a few species of microorganisms. Bacteria in the human intestinal tract can make enough Vitamin B12 for normal daily requirements from inorganic cobalt salts in the diet. Vitamin B12 is also made in large amounts by rich populations of bacteria in the rumen of ruminant animals and in the cecum of other herbivorous species.
Vitamin B12 participates in many biochemical processes that are essential for life. It acts as a co-enzyme for several enzymes which catalyze the shift of a hydrogen atom from one carbon atom to an adjacent one in exchange for an alkyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl or amino groups. Deficiency of Vitamin B12 results in the development of the serious disease pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia, as the name implies, involves a low concentration of hemoglobin resulting from the condition, but the effects also include serious disturbances of the central nervous system that may result in abnormal sensations, motion, and in humans, thought.
Vitamin B12 is known to have a positive effect on lactation performance of dairy cows, see for example the Journal of Dairy Science, 2005 February; 88(2): 671-6, Girard et al. which shows that in early lactation the supply of Vitamin B12, if deficient, limits the lactation performance of cows. Since cobalt is needed in animal nutrition as a key component to Vitamin B12 production it therefore follows that ruminants need adequate dietary supply of cobalt for effective animal nutrition and efficient lactation performance. In ruminants, the soluble portion of the ruminal material (solids and liquids) is turned over faster than the solids. This means that highly soluble sources of cobalt will remain in the rumen less time than insoluble forms. This invention relates to the ability of a ruminant's bacteria to produce Vitamin B12. The need for increased B12 production can be seen by the increased performance when B12 is injected, see Journal Dairy Science article previously cited.